Laboratory Shift Leader D1

Anglo American / De Beers Group; Rustenburg; On-site; ZAR 300 000 - 400 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading platinum production company in South Africa is seeking a Laboratory Shift Leader to supervise shift operations in sample preparation and quality control. The ideal candidate will have at least 1 year of laboratory experience, a strong understanding of safety protocols, and leadership skills. As part of a commitment to sustainability, this role offers opportunities for learning and development in a diverse team environment, ensuring that quality and safety standards are met while contributing to the PGM value chain.

Benefits

Market-aligned rewards and recognition

Opportunities for learning and development

Commitment to safe operations

Qualifications

• Minimum 1 year experience in a Laboratory as a Laboratory Shift Leader.
• Knowledge of operational processes within scope of role.

Responsibilities

• Supervise a shift consisting of fire assay and wet chemical teams.
• Ensure timeous and accurate production throughput.
• Apply Safety & Health principles consistently.
• Ensure sample turnaround time targets are met.

Skills

Laboratory quality control procedure

Leadership tools for implementing a culture of purpose-led high performance

Monitoring of benchmarks

Education

Grade 12, with Pure Mathematics and Physical Science

Tools

Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)

Job description

Valterra Platinum, formerly Anglo American Platinum, is a leading primary producer of platinum group metals (PGMs), with integrated mining, smelting, and refining operations in South Africa and Zimbabwe, marketing the metal we produce globally. Following our demerger from Anglo American plc, Valterra Platinum is now an independent, publicly listed company with a primary and secondary listing on the Johannesburg and London stock exchanges respectively.

As we embark on this exciting new chapter, Valterra Platinum is positioned to define and pursue its own strategy, anchored in operational excellence, sustainability, and value creation for the long-term. With full accountability for our performance and growth, we are focused on strengthening our capabilities across the entire PGM value chain, from mine to market.

Our independence empowers us to deepen our commitment to stakeholders and lead with purpose – to Unearth Value to Better Our World. We remain steadfast in our ambition to be the world’s foremost producer of platinum group metals, while embedding safety and sustainability in everything we do.

If you're driven by purpose and the opportunity to make a lasting impact, we invite you to join us. Apply today and be part of something bigger.

NB: First preference will be afforded to internal BMR applicants, in line with internal mobility, who meet the minimum requirements for the role.

Job Description

This role is responsible for supervising a shift, which consists of fire assay and wet chemical teams or areas thereof to ensure the timeous and accurate production throughput through efficient performance of sample preparation, analysis, and reporting. This role has specific responsibilities for quality control, ensuring the timeous reporting of results and the safety of all people on the shift. This role also has a staff function.

Job responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

Safety & Health

• Consistently apply Safety & Health principles in all team interactions and take personal responsibility for your own safety and others to ensure zero harm and elimination of fatalities
• Identify specific risks within working area and adhere to discipline-specific plans/system to avoid these risks
• Material usage to standard: adherence to standards required for chemicals, glassware, and equipment (e.g., MSDS, handling and use of glassware and equipment)

Performance & Delivery

Work Management

• Effective supervision of a shift
• Availability of optimum quantity and quality of samples per time period
• Statistics and reports completed to required standard
• Necessary stocks of material, tools and equipment are available
• Effectively use systems for administration, documentation, statistics, and reports including Time & Attendance Registers
• Sampling Accuracy
• Effective communications
• Idea generation / innovation
• Data integrity.

Technical work

• Ensure sample turnaround time targets are met
• Ensure optimum availability and allocation of resources
• Ensure quality standards are achieved
• PTO’s and document reviews
• Continuous technical assessments of subordinates on competency modules
• Participate in required meetings and initiatives
• Troubleshooting and rectification thereof
• Maximizing of manpower and materials
• Leave planning
• Shift / Daily Time & Attendance Registers of staff
• Validation and releasing of results
• Quality Control
• Check QC trends, investigate and correct if required
• Must be competent in performing the Lab Technicians role and will do so when instructed

Sustainability & Social

• Support delivery of the relevant BU and Group sustainability initiatives and activities
• Input into Valterra Platinum Business Unit-level cross-functional integration on sustainability
• Contribute to building relationships with key stakeholders relevant to Corporate Affairs at both Operational and Business Unit level, ensuring engagements are consistent with Business Unit and Group sustainability initiatives and standards

People & Teams

• Act in line and support a purpose-led, high performing culture, applying the company values and principles of inclusion and diversity.
• Actively engage as a team member in all team processes.

Compliance

• Ensure compliance of the discipline with external (legislative, regulatory, permitting) requirements
• Ensure compliance of the discipline with Valterra Platinum compliance requirements
• Adhere to compliance governance within the team

Qualifications

• Grade 12, with Pure Mathematics and Physical Science

Experience

• Minimum 1 year experience in a Laboratory as a Laboratory Shift Leader C5

Technical Knowledge:

• Knowledge of operational processes within scope of role
• Laboratory quality control procedure
• SLDP (Soft Skills Only)
• Competent to use the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)
• Basic financial metrics, cost, and value management & budgeting tools
• Risk management techniques and critical controls
• Leadership tools for implementing a culture of purpose–led high performance andchange
• Safety, health and environment, legislative, statutory, regulatory, and permittingrequirements

Technical skills

• Monitoring of benchmarks and identification of performance gaps
• Delivery of safe operational performance over 1–3-month time horizon
• Establishment of a culture within team in which safety and health is paramount and that results in zero fatalities

Additional Information

Who We Are

We are a Southern African PGM producer, marketing metals globally, with a presence across 8 regions and 17 sites. Our operations include 4 operating mines, 3 smelters, and 2 refineries, giving us full control across the Platinum Group Metals (PGM) value chain—from resource to market.

We explore, we mine, we concentrate, we smelt, we refine, and we market. As a result, we have an in-depth knowledge of PGM production and markets. Using this knowledge, we invest in developing sustainable markets for PGMs, partnering directly with research institutions as well as customers in the industrial, jewellery and investment sectors.

With 3 global marketing hubs and a team of over 29,000 employees, we serve a diverse international customer base while remaining deeply rooted in Southern Africa.

What We Offer

At Valterra Platinum, you will join a team committed to excellence and impact.

We offer:

• Meaningful work in a high-performance, values-led environment.
• Market-aligned reward and recognition.
• Opportunities for learning, development and progression.
• A culture that respects diversity and encourages innovation.
• A clear commitment to safe Operations.

Inclusion and Diversity

Valterra Platinum is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to promoting an inclusive and diverse workplace where we value and respect every colleague for who they are and provide equality of opportunity so that everyone can fulfill their potential.
Valterra Platinum has a zero tolerance to dignity harms, these include all acts of gender-based violence, bullying, harassment and victimisation. Ensuring the safety of our employees extends beyond physical safety and includes the eradication of harmful behaviours from our workplace. This responsibility extends to everyone at Valterra Platinum both during work hours and outside of work. We are unconditional in creating a respectful, inclusive, and safe working environment to ensure that no colleague will be violated or harassed under our watch.

How to Apply

To apply for this role, please complete our online application form via this job advert.